The Best Roosters for Your Flock
Why Bantam Roosters Come up Short on Practicality
Reading Time: 6 minutes
On the hunt for the best rooster breeds for your flock? There’s plenty to choose from, but which breed will work best for you? Each breed has its own average “chickenality” to consider, and different roosters perform different jobs better than others. To find the best rooster for your flock, you need to answer a few questions first.
Can You Have One?
Before we get carried away here, can you own a rooster? Many cities have been coming around to the whole backyard chicken movement, passing zoning rules to allow their residents some leeway. Many zoning rules include how many birds you can keep, and usually specify if you can or can’t have a rooster. It’s important to know your local regulations.
Your Neighbor’s Sanity
Will your neighbors tolerate a rooster? Regardless of local rules, if you have neighbors close to you or your coop, will they take issue with a rooster next door? A disgruntled neighbor, regardless of local regulations, can make things harder than they need to be.
It’s one thing to field questions like “Why do roosters crow?” It’s another thing to deal with “Why does your rooster crow… outside my bedroom window!” Can you locate the coop farther away from your neighbors? Hearing a faint crow from afar may be charming to your neighbor. A walking, squawking, feathered alarm clock with rooster spurs, set to crow at sunrise every day may drive them insane. Depending on your neighbor, it may be a short drive.
Why You Want One
“Just because” is a valid reason, albeit a vague one. It’s natural to have a rooster with your hens, and many of us become curators of cantankerous roosters by accident. But some people have a job in mind for their best rooster breed to perform.
Breeding
One good reason to have a rooster is that you want chicks! Hens don’t need a rooster in the flock to lay eggs, but they do need a rooster in the flock to lay fertile eggs. Roosters of all types will breed hens, but when picking your best rooster breed, there are a few things to consider.
Fertility rates vary from breed to breed, and from bloodline (family) to bloodline. Large, extra docile or overly fluffy breeds typically have lower fertility rates. Close-feathered, aggressive breeds will yield a better fertility rate in your flock, meaning you’re more likely to collect fertile eggs than non-fertile eggs from your hens.
Are you happy to raise mutt birds? Do you want your flock to breed true to a breed standard? Are you looking to help a rare breed or variety survive? Your answer to these questions will also largely dictate what breed you pick.
Remember, size does matter. If you introduce a behemoth of a rooster into a flock of hens that are of small stature, they probably won’t breed, or worse, they’ll injure your hens. Similar in reverse; a pint-sized bantam rooster won’t be useful in a flock of lanky Australorp hens.
Protection
If your best rooster breed doesn’t need to meet a breed standard and you just want them to protect your flock, then you have plenty of options. There are three rooster behaviors to consider when picking protective roosters; stature, attentiveness, and attitude.
Stature
Bantam roosters can have some serious Napoleonic complexes. You can also find some wicked aggressive bantam roosters, but without some degree of heft or height, they’re not going to be effective at defending the flock. Large roosters are imposing, but the larger they go, the more tame and inattentive they tend to be.
Attentiveness
Not all roosters are attentive. An excellent protective rooster seldom has his head down, is always keeping tabs on the girls and watches the sky. Chickens are prey animals, so they find safety in numbers. Hens that wander off alone are more likely to get picked off by a predator, so an effective rooster will keep his hens in a group, and chase wanderers back to the safety of the flock.
Attitude
Your best rooster breed for protection will be aggressive and assertive but have a certain level of amenability. You want your rooster to defend the flock from a strange dog, cat, fox or aerial predator, not from you or your children. A good flock protection rooster doesn’t need to be friendly, but for obvious reasons, he does need to be manageable. Even when you settle on the best rooster breed for protecting your flock, remember that, just like people, each will have its own quirks and chickenality. You may find a bad apple, so try another rooster before giving up on the breed.
Meat
There seem to be two categories of backyard chicken keepers; pet curators and livestock keepers. If your birds live their happy little lives out until natural causes take them to the other side, then this won’t apply to you, which is perfectly fine.
If you do prescribe to the theory that chickens are livestock, and you want meat and eggs from your home flock, then you’ll want to find the best rooster breed for producing meat birds. In this situation, you’ll want a bird with a large frame to carry the musculature you expect their progeny to grow. I suggest using a dual purpose breed for this since you want the hens you hatch to lay eggs and the roosters to have the frame to carry the muscle.
Your best rooster breed for hatching meat-worthy chickens from your flock will not be a commercial meat bird. Broilers, or “Cornish X Rocks” as they may be labeled, will not breed your hens well, nor will they live long without a restricted diet.
Family
It may be hard to think of a rooster as a “family pet,” but it can be. It can also be a living lawn ornament or a great way to make door-to-door salespeople think twice. If a pet bird is what you’re after, be sure to handle them frequently from an early age.
Feathered behemoths are typically very docile, even though they may appear quite imposing. Usually the bigger the bird, the more laid back their chichenality is. I love having a big, fluffy and friendly rooster in my flock, and it sparks some interesting conversations when people see him strolling through my yard. Coincidently, the neighbor’s cat is not a fan.
Bantam roosters can make great pets, and if handled a lot, can be amazingly docile. Don’t expect them to deter any varmint larger than a field mouse, but a well-handled bantam rooster can be a rewarding and endearing pet. Also, they don’t take up much room, and they eat less grain than their standard-sized cousins.
| Breed | Size | Protection | Meat | Pet | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rocks | Standard | Good | Good | Good | Great all around bird |
| Rhode Island Red | Standard | Good | OK | OK | Can be over aggressive |
| Orpington | Standard | OK | OK | Good | Some are push-overs |
| Langshan | Standard | OK | OK | Good | Big, slow, but beautiful |
| Australorps | Standard | OK | OK | Good | Imposing, but low energy |
| Broilers | Standard | Poor | Good | Poor | Won’t leave your feeder |
| Sebrights | Bantam | Poor | Poor | Good | Great bird, don’t live long |
| Old English | Bantam | Poor | Poor | Good | Commonly used in 4-H |
| Seramas | Bantam | Poor | Poor | Good | Fun, smallest recognized breed |
| Belgians | Bantam | Poor | Poor | Good | Smart, come in many varieties |
Best Rooster Breed
If you’re looking for a rooster to protect your girls, I suggest a mid-sized breed. Birds such as the Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, and even the widely available commercial Easter Eggers make great protectors.
If you’re looking for a rooster that will give you sturdy progeny that could lay eggs or suffice as meat birds, look for something along the lines of a Barred Rock. Orpingtons and Wyandottes will also serve you well.
When it comes to a family pet; Sebrights, Old English, and Belgian bantams can be great fun and easy keepers. If you want something on the larger side, I’d suggest getting a standard Cochin, Brahma or Langshan, since the larger they are, the more easy-going they tend to be. In either case, it’s wise to handle them a lot, especially when they’re young.
What’s your pick for the best rooster breed? What have your experiences been? Let us know in the comments below!
And there it is again in yet another article. There is NO such thing as a “rooster breed.” A breed has to include both male AND female. Roosters alone are not a breed & cannot duplicate themselves. A flock of a *breed of chickens*, male & female, can.
There may be protective *roosters of a breed*, and I believe that this is what the author needs to be clearer about. The author needs to use terms properly and rework the article, maybe starting with a new title, “What (chicken) breed has the best suited rooster for your needs?”
I think you are very mistaken. Roosters breeds are roosters that belong to a breed, like I can name my german shepherd male as a male dog whose breed is german shepherd. Why are you complicating so much the grammar when the meaning is SO CLEAR? You don’t need to be so mad.
You are certainly reading into things, Nina, and my op is certainly old. No anger here but is there frustration? Certainly. I’ve already covered why in my reply to another flamer. My frustration also exists at this point because way too many people love to jump on the hate bandwagon these days like they are still in high school and have an emotional reaction to everything they don’t agree with and try to incite an emotional reaction from those they are hating on. My post was a simple call for clarification and I won’t be replying anymore to those who feel the obvious need to continue to attack an old post. What I stated is very true, like it or not and I continue to stand by what I said.
I do understand what the author was trying to say, but it *can* be worded better, no doubt about that. You will find breeds listed in the SOP. You will not find “rooster” listed as one of the breeds. Many poultry breeders know this and would roll their eyes at these replies I keep getting over a simple comment on grammar. It’s surprising how much air time my old comment garnered.
By the way, a rooster can be an issue in any *breed*. You need to know your *poultry* breeds, how to handle cockerels from when they are chicks and recognize & mitigate factors that affect behavior. I believe I’ve already mentioned that too.
If I use your example (it didn’t support your angle very well, btw, and I did follow what you meant), would you talk to someone about a “bitch” breed? If you were honest, no, you would not. I’ve never heard that in dog circles. Just like a cattle farmer will not have a cow breed nor a bull breed. I’ve never heard that in cattle circles either. It is simple grammar and the knowledge of proper terminology.
In this case, correct grammar will teach correct terminology. Nothing more, nothing less.
If anyone else wishes to attack, feel free, but I have *much* better things to do with my time than continuing to try to defend my point on simple grammar & terminology. You can read what I’ve already posted. I have nothing more to add. If you don’t like it, and as I posted before…just move on.
I think you are spot on. I was wondering what a “rooster breed” was. Thanks for clarifying.
I think readers understand what the writer means. I doubt anyone thinks there is a breed of chicken that is comprised solely of roosters. And this article’s intended audience is chicken people who already know that. The article is just fine as written, and I appreciated reading it.
You might be surprised. There are a lot of experienced breeders who do agree with me on this. They have met those types that perpetuate false ideas based on what they’ve heard or briefly read in an article without thinking.
There are also a lot of people new to chickens who don’t know much about animals. A person who is writing is wise to assume that the reader’s know nothing & make sure that they are clear in their presentation. It would have only taken a little effort to correct this oversight.
I know my breeds and am proud of what I keep & breed. I choose only the breeds that are known to have docile (toward people) roosters, but I don’t keep “rooster breeds.”
Actually, you might be surprised by some who will think, based on this article, that there is a breed of chicken comprised solely of roosters. These types of people exist. I am a poultry breeder and have years of experience of life on a farm. I meet all types…some people don’t know their right hand from their left. Considering, it is best to be very careful about what information is presented and words that are used to make sure it is clear and accurate.
If you don’t agree with my comments, then by all means, skip over them. It’s only a comment and in case you missed it, I did offer a simple solution to what I saw here.
How else would one refer to a rooster, other than “breed”? That term is effectively and routinely used when referring to livestock, be it individuals or a group.
Please reread my last paragraph of my first comment.
You will not get a breed of only roosters, so it is incorrect to refer to a rooster as a breed. A breed includes both hens & roosters.
I have also never heard of a “bull breed” or a “sire breed.” It is not routinely used as is claimed. It is an oversight in word choice and is not a “thing.”
Maybe it is just regional, but aside from the article written here & one other I read elsewhere at about the same time, I have not heard this term used in any serious agricultural circles.
Thank you for this article! We do want chicks but we do not want an aggressive rooster that attacks us; we’ve had that and we had to dispose of him. Now I know where to start looking.
We have three roosters in our flock right now. Two of them are Polish and very attentive and friendly. The third is a bantam Belgian D’Uccle named Napoleon, and he is a fantastic pet. He follows us everywhere and has been curious about everything since he was a chick. I agree that behavior is a big indicator and by about 4 weeks we were already pretty sure they were roosters. They were also the first to investigate anything new in the brooder, while the pullets were more timid.
Our rooster (surprise!)is the biggest chicken of the bunch! In all ways. Juan (who was Juanita) is protective of the hens but runs from us! He is a big Cuckoo Maran. He is hilarious.
Thank you for your time and effort of your article. We have a mix of hens and want an all around Rooster to be a dual purpose, protective n take care of our/his girls, but also be friendly to us. From what I gather, our best choice is a barred rock.
I have 7 adult roosters, and they’ve all got their strengths.
The Bantam 4 (d’uccles) are keen to attack anything that menaces their hens, and are mostly happy to be hand-fed treats when there is no danger. My silkie man is a love-bug, who is mostly concerned with fighting the other roosters. Ayam Cemani and Spitzhauben are definitely the watch-chickens, but less likely to actually fight, and the Spitz is a certified spam.
Great read, thank you for the perspective!
When you had 7 roos how many hens. I have 3 regular size hens and 2 bantam hens 2 bantam roosters all sweet. Should I worry can bantam roos successfully fertilize eggs. I only have few months age difference but all bantams and 2 hens were raised together
We have over a dozen roosters at our rescue. Barred Rock- smart, friendly, observant, loves to to held.
Rhode Island Reds- we have 3, all fiesty. Many, many chunks of skin out of the backs of my legs and hands. Mean to each other and to some hens. Beautiful birds though.
Polish- friendly enough. Slightly skiddish. Fights with other roos but great with the ladies.
Salmon Faverolles- Ours is still developing. Friendly, curious.
Astralorpes and Easter Eggers- both pretty calm. Stick with the hens. Always the last back inside the coop.
Leghorns-bossy even at a young age. Ours are still developing.
Is there a way to tell between Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas? My chicks were sold as ‘Americanas’ but they were cheap compared to true Ameraucanas. Easter Egger could be the only other option in NY opinion but I’d love to be able to tell.
Hi All! The article was somewhat helpful to me. This is technically still my first year with chickens. I had some older ones that I kept for my sister in law. She had a game rooster that she said was a jerk but he’s super protective over his ladies, he’s a really good rooster.. and then raised some chicks. 3 of my chicks became roosters. All 3 beautiful but I don’t need 4.
Which do I keep?!
One that grew up with the hens that the game rooster “Gangster” took over he follows them from a distance until he gets ran off. He’s big, thick and friendly.
The other 2 are with my other group of hens, for some reason they don’t all stay together but one seems really pushy to me, chased one of my hens under a wood pile and she died under there before I knew it, the other seems to be now trying to hump the same time the pushy one gets one hen down.
The 3 younger roos are 6-7 months old.
What should I do?
I have Delaware hens who are a bit more than two years old and are still very productive. But it’s getting time to get some new blood in the flock. Would you recommend Delaware Roosters? Or maybe a Wyandotte?
Any suggestions for a good semi-docile rooster that would be a good meat bird for breeding. I’m looking to breed my own “broilers”.
I have a young 10 month old brazen Brahma (pretty decent protector) and an almost 5 year old sweet Brahma that has balance issues from a rooster attack (an Easter Egger – culled his butt), he’s scared of everything. I’ve had a Cuckoo Marans, RIR, black Australorps, and a buff Orpington rooster with the older Brahma. Also a father and son duo but I’m quite sure the Easter Egger rooster killed most of them over the years, I thought something else happened until I caught him attacking the Brahma.
I had a wonderful Salmon Faverolle. He was very attentive to the hens, kind to all the hens but only mated the bigger ones, always made sure they had all the treats, defended them fearlessly from hawks, kept them together, very good with people. I’ve had several polish. I enjoy working with them. They have a lot of personality. I’ve had ones that were pretty attentive to the hens and also good with people once they’d been trained (I do think you can train polish–they tend to pay attention to people). I have seen them lure hawks to them while the hens hid. However, I had one that was overly fearful, not nice to all the hens, and only attentive to some of the hens when free ranging. That said, he was also undersized and easy to handle.
Please note that you really want to have 10 hens + per rooster and that keeping multiple roosters together in a flock with hens can cause problems (and result in major injuries). More than one rooster is “advanced chicken keeping”. It can work with the right flock and roosters, but you need to be pretty experienced. If your young rooster is being aggressive toward any hens, that is a sign that he will be more trouble than help. I good rooster can become your right hand man out in the coop, but a bad rooster can really be a terror to both the people and the hens. I really love roosters and there are wonderful roosters out there that get culled because neighbors complain (seriously, dogs barking, motor bikes screaming by, lawnmowers, etc., but people get all up in arms about a rooster?!). Roosters really are helpful for keeping the predators at bay–or at least distracting a threat while the hens run and hide.
What is the best type of breed rooster do I need with my hy line hens
Looking for a rooster to go with a mixed flock of three mouths flock of 5 hens .just genting started. Learning as we go myself and granddaughter.
Don’t ever get Easter egger roosters. I’ve had multiple and they’re a problem breed that you’ll have to get rid of, not just because of how aggressive they’ll be towards you, but also because of how aggressive they are towards their own hens.